Soviet attacks around Debrecen were winding down by mid-October while all across the Hungarian Plains German units of General der Artillerie Maximilian Fretter-Pico's VI Armee had bent but not broken. Often, General Rodion Malinovsky's cavalry-mechanized groups would penetrate too deeply too quickly-and end up encircled themselves. Such was the case around Dereske with cavalry-mechanized group Gorshkov being cut off. The only escape opportunity for Gorshkov was to attack the lines of Generalleutnaut Erich Abraham's Infanterie-Division 76.
Attacker: Russian (5th Guards Cavalry Corps)
Defender: German (Infanterie-Division 76)
6.5 turns
Players: 2 OBA: None Night: No
Unit Counts:
Squads: A:16.0 D:9.0
AFVs: A:3
Sherman III(a) x 2 SU-76M
AFVs: D:2
StuG IIIG (L) StuG IIIG
Guns: A:0 D:2
5cm PaK 38 8cm GrW 34
Misc Rules:
Trenches are treated as woods for Rout (A10.5) and Rally (A10.61) purposes.
This game played similarly as some of the other reports.
I chose the 50L ATG so the Shermans wouldn't have free reign over the map. I set up my infantry on-line at the edge of the wheatfield in foxholes with interlocking fields of fire. The grain would help obscure my planned withdrawal. I put one platoon (3x467, LMG and an 8-0) at the very rearward edge of my setup area, with their plan being to run as fast as they could to get to the trenches while their comrades held the line. I had a squad behind the line, as an uncommitted reserve, thinking they'd provide some covering fire for the main line as they attempted to withdraw. I used the concealment markers to help obscure me from what I feared would be an impressive Prep Fire.
Major style points for Ed, who skipped any Prep and lunged his entire force (minus the machine gunners he marked with Opp Fire) into a human wave on Turn 1. My interlocking fields of fire with fire lanes from my MGs and accurate rifle marksmanship made Ed pay a deadly price. I rolled 3s, 4s and 5s on my attacks while Ed rolled 8s and 9s on his checks, killing or breaking them all, with only a lone 8-0 getting past my line.
Ed then drove up his two Shermans. My hidden ATG hit one in the side, brewing it up, and missed the second, who's riders got picked off by my reserve squad. With only his MG-toting squads left, it was over and Ed conceded.
I'm told a more successful strategy for the attacker might be to Smoke the obvious MG positions with the Shermans, use fire and maneuver to try to get close the the line, and then rush it with a human wave.
2023-07-09
(A) Paul Works
vs
James Treu
Russian win
2023-06-16
(D) Kermit Mullins
vs
Dan Best
German win
Game went as expected...the Germans get to sit back and machine gun Russians for the win.
2023-06-16
(A) Dan Best
vs
Kermit Mullins
German win
2023-06-16
(A) nathan wegener
vs
Wes Vaughn
German win
Down to the wire... Very bloody through out ended tied in VP giving game to Germans.
2023-06-04
(D) Ron Garcia
vs
Darryl M.
German win
Having just played a scenario where I ran away from the enemy the entire game dictated how I would set up my defense as the Germans. I was going to go mano a mano with the Russians. I put everything in the woods stretching from T0, through the leading edges of the grain, and in the two orchard clumps in T8 and U9 with interlocking firelane opportunities. I chose the AT Gun because if even one tank got past me, I'd have trouble trying to run back and make up the exit points from it.
The set up worked out. The 50L destroyed one Sherman and drew a Human Wave to try and take it out. Lots of resid and firelanes broke up the attack and all my squads held firm. After a few more turns, with too many broken and CR'ed Russian squads, we ended this one early. All that open ground, despite the Shermans getting three smoke rounds off, was too difficult for the Russians to traverse. The range disparity was also an issue as his men were always just out of range for full FP. It was a pretty decisive German victory.
2023-05-09
(A) fabrizio da pra
vs
Massimiliano Colosimo
Russian win
2023-04-01
(D) Jonathan Plott
vs
Brian Martuzas
Russian win
Played this at the Where the Iron Crosses Grow Invitational Tournament (aka RitterFest).